Automobile tent



Oct. 4, 1949. LE ROY SMELKER 2,483,478

AUTOMOBILE TENT Filed June 10, 1946 4. Shee'ts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. LEROY SMELK ER ATTORNEY .QQt, 4, 1949. L ROY 5MELKER 2,483,478

AUTOMOBILE TENT Filed June 10, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 O I Z W INVENTOR.

' LEROY SMELKER r .BY

ATTO RNEIY Oct. 4, 1949. LE ROY SMELKER AUTOMOBILE TENT 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. LEROY SM E LKER AT "r 9 RN EY Filed June 10. 1946 Q? hm ct. 4, 1949. LE ROY SMELKER AUTOMOBILE TENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 10, 1946 mm mm 2 INVEQITOR. LEROY 8 ME LKER ATTIO RN EY Patented Oct. 4, 1949 R-UTGMOBILETENT 119.3031. Smelker, Dayton, Ohio assignor of: one-.-

fourth timHelen May Smelker, oneefourth. to. Helen Virginia. Beneh, and one-fourth. to Roy Davidsmelker" munatinmrunem; lsiesenierno-tvaeza 24: Claims.

This invention relates. to. an... automobile. tent, thatis, a-tent adaptedrtozbeattached.to aniauto mobile to provideshelter or privacy, exteriorly. thereof. Such; a tent.- has many usesrsucheas, tor example, a-dressing. roonr either? at abathing beach. or in: connection; with. an automobile the; seatsot whichare convertible into.beds.,

Gneobject oi theinventionds tQf*PROYid8 SU-Gha. tent. which: can. be: storedein. a. collapsed. GOBdi-rtion.on. an; ordinary passenger automobile-and. canabe quickly. and: easily erected. andrthen. again collapsed. for storage: in. the. automobile. V

A further object of the. invention is-to provide a tent. whicln is, supported wholly. by. the automobile, without-the.use-oftent-polesmr. the like:

A-.fur-ther. objectrof the inventiom is to provide a. tent of. simple construction and: light weight which canbe foldedinto: a. verycompact. bundle and supported: in the luggage-- compartment. of an automobilein sucha-mannen asto leave room for:luggage-or the-like. V

A- further object of the inventionv is: totprouide a; tent which is, supported'by. the closure for. the rear or luggage compartmentot the automobile both.- whencollapsedandmhenereeted.

A. further obj ect. ot the tinvention is.- to. provide a. tent. which; cam he attachedrto anputomobile with little or no.changeinrthetstnucture or ap-v pearance. of the: automobile.

(other. objectsot theinvention. may.- appear. as

thetentzis described in-detaiL I-nthe accompanying-drawings Eig ..1-; isma pen spectiverview of the rear endon anautomobile showing the: collapsed tentzsupportedl on. the ole.- surefon therearr'compartment-of theautomobile Fig. .2: is aside;elevation of .the structure shown. in Fig. 1; partly-broken awayrEig. 34s ar-side eleuationofthe erected. tent, withzat portionotthecan: opy/broken away; Eigai is aeside. elevation. of the collapsed canopy; supporting frame. in; an. inter-- mediate position Fig. 5 isasimilar View showing the frame in. its extended conditiom; Fig. 6. is, a transverse: section of: the. line;- 61-6- ot. Fig, 3;. Fig.3? is: asection'. on the; line. 1.'I of Eig. 3;, Fig.,8zis,a sectionomthealine 8-8iof.-Fig 3;,Eig; a-lsection on theline 9-9- of Fig. 3; hig-fllfl isa detail view of a: supplemental support for. the. canopm. 1'1 isaplanview of: that support; Figs 1-2- is adetail viewof. a connecting. device: for the frame supporting, strap; Rig. 1-3is aside. elevatiomofx the tent in. its: erected position with. at portionr ot the canopy broken away; and Fig. 14 is;a.rear elevation ofthe=erentedtentr V In thesedrawingsI have. ilhistrated one. em bodiment: of. the inventiom and. have Shown. the

single U,-shaped members;

2, same attached. irrthe-preferred. manner to. the rear end. of. an. automobile of. a. well. known. type, bntlit. isltobe understood that theetentismounted atlthat. end of. the automobile opposite the, en-- gine,,and= if. the engine. is arranged. at, the rear.

endlofjthe automobilethe. tent. wouldbe. attached. tethefrontendof .thelatter; and the term.rear-' as. herein. used is intended. to. reier. to that. end oi the automobile opposite theengine. It is also .tobe understood that. the. tent as. awhole, as, well as the, several parts thereof, may. take various-forms and'may. be. attached to the. automobile. inyariolls ways. without... departing. from. the spirit of. the. invention.

The tent comprises a. frame. adapted tobe mounted onoandsupportedby the. rear. portion. ofanautomobile, and. a. canopy to. extend over and toehe. supported bytheframe. Preferably; the frame iscollapsible andismounted on the closure for the: rear-,. or luggage, compartment. 01 the automobile for. movement, in. a.- collapsed COHdir' tiom, into. said. compartment or to a rearwardly projecting and. extended. position to reeeive. the canopy.

In the1 particular embodiment. here. illustrated the tent comprises a. canopy supportingframe which includestwo side members.- Zlhand. 2i each of. Whichcomprises two. parts 2.1 and 23.. The forward. parts. 22, of. the. two-side members are supported on. the closure. 24. for the. rear. com.- partinent. 25 of an. automobile. In thepresent instance the frame members 212. are pivotally connected, .by boltslfi, ,with lugs: 2.1-: rigidly secured to-the; lower sideot. the rear portion. of thepclosure 24;. Thesecond or rear portion- 23 ofeach framemember Zllis connectedwith-therfrontportion.. 22 thereof, in. such a; manner that it. can be collapsedbymoving, thesame to aflposition extending lengthwise of. and. alongside. of: thefront portion 22. onto. a. position inwhich. itextends rearwardly beyondthe front; portion. In the presentinstance the partZ-Za of the-frame member is. channel. shaped, and thee-rear part 23 is: slidablyl mounted; in. thegsame. In. thearrangement shown. the part.23.is-supportedin-the.part 22 by agband'or clip Ziextending about thechannel shaped member 22. 'I-hepart. 23. has. at itsforwards end a. laterally extending a portion 29-. which extendsthroughthe clip. 28 torconnect. the part 23 with-.the clip. A- band. so. extends about the rear end of the partzz tolimit.therearmovement of 13138713331113. In the-presentarrangement. the two partst23tare connectedtattheir rear ends. by a. cross? member 3 l.-,, thus in. efiect constituting; a Rreferably means are provided for retaining the rear part 23 in its retracted position with relation to the front part 22, and as here shown, a latch 32 is pivotally mounted on the part 22 near its front end and is adapted to engage the projecting portion 29 of the member 23 when the latter is in its retracted position.

It is preferable that the pivoted side frames 20 and 2| shall be supported wholly on the automobile when in their rearwardly projecting positions. For this purpose I have provided a supporting device somewhat in the nature of a truss. There are mounted on the side frames 25 and 2| one or more upwardly extending members, in the present instance two, 33 and 34. These upwardly extending members are shown as of inverted U-shape, the legs of the U-shaped member 33 being pivotally mounted at 35 on the respective frame members 22, and the legs of the U-shaped member 34 beingpivotally mounted at 36 on the clip 28 which is connected with and moves with the rear frame member 23. The members 33 and 34 are movable to positions in which they extend lengthwise of and close to the respective members 22 and 23 of the side frames, or to upwardly. extending positions, as shown in Pig. 3, when the side frames are in their extended positions. .One or more flexible members are connected with the rear ends of the side frames, and in the present instance two straps 39 are attached to the transverse bar 3| which connects the members 23 of the side frames one with the other. These straps extend upwardly from the cross bar 3| over the. transverse portions of the U-shaped supporting members 33 and 34, to which they are preferably attached, thence downwardly and forwardly and are provided at their front ends with means whereby they may be connected with the automobile. In the present instance each strap is provided with a hook 411 which can be engaged about the rear edge of the closure 24 when the latter is in its open position. Thus the frame is supported solely by the closure 24.

The canopy, indicated as a whole by the reference numeral 4'0, is preferably of canvas, or other suitable flexible material, and may be of any desired shape or size adapted to be supported by the frame. In the present instance the canopy is of a height and of horizontal dimensions such as to adapt it for use as a dressing room, but it can be enlarged sufficiently to serve as a sleeping room merely by lengthening the canopy supporting frame and correspondingly enlarging the canopy. As here shown the canopy comprises a top portion 4|, side walls 42 and a rear wall 43. The rear and side walls preferably extend close to the ground so as to provide, a complete enclosure. The rear wall 43 is provided with a vertical slit or opening 44 through which entrance may be had to the tent. The top portion of the canopy extends over the cross bar 3| of the supporting frame, over the upright supporting members 33 and 34 and then downwardly beyond the canopy supporting frame to the body of the automobile, to which it is attached. The attaching means may take various forms and is here shown as a strap 45, which is secured to the rear portion of the canopy top and extends across the body of the automobile in front of the closure 24 and then downwardly and is provided with hooks 46 adapted to engage about the lower edges of the respective fenders 4'1. At least one of the hooks is adjustably connected with the strap so that the latter may be drawn tight and caused 4 to clamp the rear portion of the canopy tightly to the body of the automobile.

In order to prevent the intermediate portion of the canopy top from sagging and holding water when wet, means are provided for elevating this intermediate portion of the top, so that it will slope laterally as well as fore and aft and will thus shed the water more effectively. For this purpose there is provided a supplemental frame member 68 which is provided at its ends with hook shaped portions 49 adapted to have supporting ngagement with the cross bars 3'! and 38 of the upwardly extending members 33 and as. This bar is soshaped that it extends above the level of the. cross bars and slopes rearwardly and forwardly. By positioning the same adjacent the longitudinal center of the top the latter can be caused to slope laterally. The hook shaped ends of the bar 58 enable it to be readily detached from the frame members 33 and 35 when the frame is to be collapsed, and it can be easily mounted on the upright members either before or after the canopy is in position on the frame.

When the tent is to be collapsed for storage in the automobile compartment the strap 65 is detached from the fenders to release the front end of thecanopy, and the latter is withdrawn forwardly over the supporting frame. The flexible supporting member 39 is then detached from the front edge of the closure 24, and the bar 48 having been removed, the frame structure as a whole is released and swings downwardly to an intermediate ,and substantially upright position beneath the rear end of the closure 24, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. However, in these figures the spacing between the side frames and the upright supporting members 33 and 34' is exaggerated to facilitate the illustration. Either before or after the frame structure is moved-to this vertical position the rear frame members 23 are moved for- Wardly to their retracted positions and secured in those positions by the hooks 32. Whenthe frame membersare in these positions the cross bars 3|, 31 and'38 are adjacent one to the other and at substantially the same distances from the closure. The canopy is then folded to such a width that it may be inserted between the side frames 29 and 21 and supported on the transverse bars. The canopy is also folded in such a manner that when the end portions thereof, on opposite sides of the transverse bars, are moved upwardly with relation to the transverse bars the Whole of the canopy and the supporting frame will be folded into a compact bundle of a vertical length approximating the length of the collapsed side members. The folded tent is then secured in its folded condition, preferably by drawing over the same a bag 59 which serves not only to confine the folded structure in a very compact easily handled form, but also provides a protective covering therefor and imparts a neat appearance thereto. The collapsed and enclosed tent is then swungforwardlyandupwardly to a position close to theinner side of the closure 25 and may be supported in that position in any suitable manner, as bya strap 5| secured to the closure. When in this position the closur 25 may be moved to its closed position and locked in the usual manner. 'Ihepcollapsed tent being supported close to the closure, there remains in the compartment 45 substantial space for the storing of luggage or other articles. I p

When the tent is to be erected the closure 24 is moved to and locked in its open position, the strap 5! is released to permit the collapsed tent area-ems structureto move to asubstantially vertical po'si tion, the bag to is strip ed from the "folded canopy and frame and the folded Y canopy is removed from the frame. The frame is then swun to-its rearwardly projectingposition and extended to' i ts full length. Thesu'pporting strap-'3'9 isthen drawnforwardly, thereby moving the supporting members 33 and 34 130 upright positions, and is connected withthe-rear edge of the closure. The canopy is then placed in position over the fra'me and-secured to thebody of the automobile. This completesthe erection of the tent, which can be accomplished in a very-short time.

While I have shown and'described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that -I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully des cribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ist '1. :A tent adapted to be attached to the rear portion-of an automobile and comprising a collapsible canopy supporting frame, means for connecting said frame adjacent the forward end thereof with said automobile in rearwardly extending relation thereto, and other means for connecting the rear portion of said frame with said automobile, said connecting means constituting'the sole support for said frame.

2. A tent adapted to be attached to an auto- :mobile having in the body thereof and adjacent the rear end thereof a compartment, a canopy supporting frame, means for supporting said frame adjacent the forward end thereof on said automobile for movement into said compartment or to a position in which it projects rearwardly from said automobile, and'a device to connect the :rear .portion of said frame with said automobile and support the same in said rearwardly profleeting position.

3. A tent adapted to be attached to an auto- :mobile having in. the body thereof a rearwardly :facing compartment, a closure therefor and means "for supporting said closure in a rearwardly extending open position, said tent comprising a canopy supporting frame, and means for con- -necting-saidframe with said closure a'nd'supporting the same in a rearwardly extending position with relation thereto.

4. A tent adapted to be attached to an automobile having in the body thereof a rearwardly facing compartment and a rearwardly extending closure hinged at its forward edge thereto therefor, and comprising a canopy supporting frame, means for pivotally connecting said frame with the rear portion of said closure for movement'to a rearwardly extending position with relation thereto, and a supporting device connected with the rear portion of said frame and withsaid automobile in front of said pivotal connection.

5. A tent adapted to be connected with the closure for the rearwardly facing compartment of an automobile and comprising an extensible canopy supporting frame, means for supporting the front portion of the extended frame on said closure when the latter is in its open position, and other means connected with the rear portion of said frame for supporting the latter in a substantially horizontal position.

6. -A tent adapted to be connected with the closure for the rearwardly facing compartment :in an automobile body and comprising a collapsible canopy supporting Iframe, means for connecting said frame said closure for movement into .said compartment when lnits collapsed condition-and'to a rearwardly projecting positionwhen in its'extended condition, and other means connected with the rear portion of said frame "and 'withsaid automobile to support said frame'in an "extended position.

7. A tent adapted to be connected with the rearwardly extending closure for the rear compartment of an automobile and comprising a collapsible canopy 'supportingframe, means for pivotally -'connecting the -forward portion of said frame with therear portion of said closure, means for supporting the collapsed frame on and close -to the inner side of said closure within "said comrpartment when said closure is in its closed position, and other means to supportingly connect the reanportion of the extended frame with said "automobile in front'of said pivotal connection.

8. A tent adapted to be attached to an automobi-le of the type having a rearwardly facing compartment and a closure therefor, and com- ;pr'ising-a canopy supporting frame having means whereby 'it may be supported on said closure in 'a forwardly extending position when said closure is in its close position and in a rearward-1y extending position when said closure is in its open position, and means for supportingly connecting the rear portion of said frame withsaid automobile when said frame is in said rearwardly extending position.

'9. 'A tent adapted to be attached to an automobile of the type having a rearwardly facing compartment and a closure therefor, and comprising a canopy supporting 'framehaving'means whereby it may be supported on said closure in a forwardly extending position when said c1osure isin its "closed position and in a rearwardly extending position when said closure is in its open position, and means for supportingly connecti'ng the rear portion of said frame with said automobile when said frame is in said rearwardly extending position, said frame having means for supporting the top of the canopy above and in "spaced relation to said frame.

10. A'tent adapted to be attached to an automobile of the type having a rearwardly facing compartment and a closure therefor, and comprising a canopy supporting frame having means whereby it may be supported on said clo=- 'sure in a forwardly extending position when said closure is in its "closed position and in a rearwardly extending position when said closure is in its open position, said frame having an upward-1y extending part spaced forwardly from the rear end thereof, and a flexible supporting device connected with the rear portion of said frame, extending forwardly over said upwardly extending part and having means whereby it may be connected with said automobile in front of said frame.

11. A tent adapted to be attached to an automobile or the type having -'a rearwardly facing compartment and a closure therefor, and comprising :aca nopy supporting frame having means whereby it may be supported on said closure in a forwardly extending position when said closure is in its closed position and in a rearwardly extending position when said closure is in its open position, said frame having upwardly extending par-t spaced forwardly from the rear end thereof, and a flexible supporting device connected with the rear portion of said frame, extending forwardly over said upwardly extendrfn'g apart and having means whereby it may be connected with-said automcbiie in front of said 7 frame, said upwardly extending part of said frame also having means to support the top of said canopy in spaced relation to said frame.

12. A tent adapted to be attached to an automobile of the type having a rearwardly facing compartment and a closure therefor, a canopy supporting frame having means whereby it may be pivotally supported on the lower side of said closure adjacent the rear edge of the latter for movement to a forwardly extending position beneath said closure when the latter is in its closed position or to a rearwardly extending position when said closure is in its open position, and a supporting device connected with the rear portion of said frame, extending forwardly at an angle to said frame and having means whereby it may be connected with said automobile to support said frame in said rearwardly extending position.

13. A tent adapted to be connected with the closure for the rearwardly facing compartment of an automobile, and comprising a collapsible frame having means whereby it may be supported by said closure in rearwardly extending relation thereto when said closure is in its open position, a foldable canopy to be supported on said frame, and means for connecting the front portion of said canopy with the body of said automobile.

14. A tent adapted to be connected with the closure for the rearwardly facing compartment of an automobile, and comprising a collapsible frame having means whereby it may be supported by said closure in rearwardly extending relation thereto when said closure is in its open position, a foldable canopy to be supported on said frame, means for connecting the front portion of said canopy with the body of said automobile, and means for supporting the collapsed frame and folded canopy on the inner side of said closure when the latter is in its closed position.

15. A tent adapted to be connected with the closure for the rearwardly facing compartment of an automobile and comprising a collapsible frame, means for pivotally supporting said frame on the rear portion of said closure for movement to a rearwardly extending position when said closure is in its open position, a flexible supporting device connected with the the rear portion of said frame, extending forwardly above said closure and having means for connecting the same with a part of said automobile, a foldable canopy supported by said frame and having a part extending forwardly above said closure,

and means for securing said forwardly extending part of said canopy to the body of said automobile.

16. A tent adapted to be connected with the closure for the rearwardly facing compartment of an automobile and comprisin a collapsible frame, means for pivotally supporting said frame on the rear portion of said closure for movement to a rearwardly extending position when said closure is in its open position, a flexible supporting device connected with the rear portion of said frame, extending forwardly above said closure and having means for connecting the same with a part of said automobile, a foldable canopy supported by said frame and having a part extending forwardly above said closme, means for securing said forwardly extending part of said canopy to the body of said automobile, said frame and said canopy being foldable into a compact bundle pivotally supported by.

said closure, and means for supporting said bundle beneath and close to said closure when the latter is in its closed position.

17. A tent adapted to be connected with the rear portion of an automobile having a rearwardly facing compartment and a closm'e therefor, said tent comprising frame members each including a part having means whereby it may be connected with said closure for movement to a position beneath said closure or to a position extending rearwardly therefrom, and a second part supported by the first-mentioned part and movable to a retracted position alongside the latter or to a position extending beyond the rear end thereof, and a supporting member connected with said frame members and movable to a. position above the same when said frame members are in their rearwardly extending positions.

18. A tent adapted to be connected with the rear portion of an automobile, and comprising extensible frame members having means whereby they may be mounted on said automobile for movement to positions extending rearwardly therefrom, and an inverted U-shaped element the legs of which are connected with the respective frame members for movement to positions extending lengthwise of said frame members or to positions extending upwardly therefrom.

19. A tent adapted to be connected with the rear portion of an automobile having a rear compartment and a closure therefor, said tent comprising extensible frame members each including an elongate part having means whereby it may be mounted on said closure for movement to a position extending rearwardly therefrom, and a second elongate part mounted on the first-mentioned part for movement to a position in which it extends beyond the outerend of the latter, supporting elements mounted respectively on the corresponding parts of said frame members for movement to positions extending lengthwise thereof or to positions in which they extend upwardly therefrom when said frame members are in said rearwardly extending positions, and means for retaining said supporting elements in said upwardly extending positions.

20. A tent adapted to be connected with the rear portion of an automobile having a rear compartment and a closure therefor, said tent comprising extensible frame members each including an elongate part having means whereby it may be monuted on said closure for movement to a position extending rearwardly therefrom, and a second elongate part mounted on the first-mentioned part for movement to a position in which it extends beyond the outer end of the latter, supporting elements mounted respectively on the corresponding parts of said frame members for movement to positions extending lengthwise thereof or to positions in which they extend upwardly therefrom when said frame members are in said rearwardly extending positions, a flexible frame supporting device connected with said second parts of said frame members and with said supporting elements, and having means whereby it may be connected with said automobile.

21. A tent adapted to be connected with the rear portion of an a utomobile having a rear compartment and a closure therefor, said tent comprising extensible frame members each including an elongate part having means whereby it may be mounted on said closure for movement to a position extending rearwardly therefrom, and a second elongate part mounted on the first-menit extends beyond the outer end of the latter, supporting elements mounted respectively on the corresponding parts of said frame members for movement to positions extending lengthwise thereof or to positions in which they extend upwardly therefrom when said frame members are in said rearwardly extending positions, means for retaining said supporting elements in said upwardly extending positions, a canopy having a top portion to be supported on said supporting elements, and a device supported by said supporting elements and extending lengthwise of said frame members above said supporting elements to elevate an intermediate portion of the top of said canopy.

22. A tent adapted to be connected with the rear portion of an automobile having a rear compartment and a closure therefor, said tent comprising extensible frame members each including an elongate part having means whereby it may be mounted on said closure for movement to a position extending rearwardly therefrom, and a second elongate part mounted on the first-mentioned part for movement to a position in which it extends beyond the outer end of the latter, supporting elements mounted respectively on the corresponding parts of said frame members for movement to positions extending lengthwise thereof or to positions in which they extend upwardly therefrom when said frame members are in said rearwardly extending positions, and means for releasably retaining said second parts of said frame members in retracted positions with relation to the first-mentioned parts thereof.

23. A tent adapted to be attached to an automobile having a rearwardly facing compartment and a closure therefor, and comprising a canopy supporting frame, means for connecting said frame with said closure and supporting the same in a rearwardly extending position with relation thereto, a canopy adapted to extend over and to be supported by said frame and having a part to extend rearwardly from said frame, and means for securing said rearwardly extending part to the body of said automobile.

24. A tent adapted to be attached to an automobile having a rearwardly facing compartment and a closure therefor, and comprising a canopy supporting frame, means for connecting said frame with said closure and supporting the same in a rearwardly extending position with relation thereto, a canopy adapted to extend over and to be supported by said frame and having a part to extend rearwardly beyond said closure, a strap secured to the forward portion of said canopy, and means for detachably connecting the ends of said strap with the respective fenders of said automobile.

LE ROY SMELKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,508,065 Ramsdell Sept. 9, 1924 1,712,836 Mills May 14, 1929 2,054,673 Hastings Sept. 15, 1936 

